Briggs in for Beer as Sussex prepare for home opener

Staff reporter

After a 211-day wait, the Specsavers County Championship returns to Hove on Friday with Gloucestershire the visitors to the 1st Central County Ground.

Sussex’s first home game of the season follows two draws on the road against Warwickshire and then Leicestershire.

Head coach Jason Gillespie has made one change to the squad that travelled to Grace Road last week.

Slow left-armer Danny Briggs is included for the first time this season after proving his fitness in the second team following a knee operation over the winter.

Briggs replaces Will Beer, who is rested for this match after reporting soreness in his side after bowling 26 overs against Leicestershire. The leg-spinner will receive further assessment in the coming days.

Gillespie said: “I was very happy with the performance at Leicester and I couldn’t have asked for more from the boys. We had a number of significant partnerships in the match built around Michael Burgess’ and Luke Wells’ fine centuries and there were plenty of other contributions.

“The bowling and fielding was top drawer on a wicket that made for hard work and against a Leicestershire side that also played very well. If we build on the start we’ve made, continue to learn and improve from each match, then the results will look after themselves.”

Play is scheduled to start at 11am on all four days of the match against Gloucestershire. Tickets are available on the gate, with entry available from 9.30am.